Checker game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A checkerboard having at each end thereof diagonally arranged rows of white and black spaces so that each transverse and longitudinal row of spaces will have alternate black and white spaces thereon generally in the nature of a conventional checkerboard. Centrally of the board are four rows of spaces with the two outermost rows having specific indicia thereon and the outermost rows having different specific indicia thereon with the indicia in adjacent rows being staggered. Conventional distinguishably colored checker playing pieces are used for the end playing areas and crowned checkers are provided in the central two rows of the central area of the board, the lower parts of the checkers being of the same colors as the colors of the checkers used in the end areas, and the upper part of each checker being gold colored. By following prescribed rules of play, two or three players may employ the present invention.

United States Patent [72] Inventor EdwardP.Bucko Po. Box 5, Gmt F8115, M0111. 59401 [211 AppLNo 821.000 1221 Filed Mayl,l969 4s] Patented July27,197l

[s41 cur-:cxan GAME APPARATUS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. 1521 user. 273/l3lK, 1 273/137r s11 lnt.Cl A6313/02 1501 FieldolSeareh 273/131, 137

[56) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 461,018 10/1891 Howard 273/131 613.550 ll/l898 Ballou 273/131 630,647 8/1899 Billingsley... 273/131 1,170,109 2/l9l6 Rogers 273/137 Primary Examiner-Richard C Pinkham Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B; Jacobson 8/l9l9 Emmons 273/131 ABSTRACT: A checkerboard having at each end thereof diagonally arranged rows of white and black spaces so that each transverse and longitudinal row of spaces will have a]- ternate black and white spaces thereon generally in the nature of a conventional checkerboard. Centrally of the board are four rows of spaces with the two outermost rows having specific indicia thereon and the outermost rows having different specific indicia thereon with the indicia in adjacent rows being staggered. Conventional distinguishably colored checker playing pieces are used for the end playing areas and crowned checkers are provided in the central two rows of the central area of the board, the lower parts of the checkers being of the same colors as the colors of the checkers used in the end areas, and the upper part of each checker being gold colored. By following prescribed rules of play, two or three players may employ the present invention.

Edward P. Baa/r0 PATENTED JUL 27 IHYi CHECKER GAME APPARATUS The present invention generally relates to game devices and more particularly a game employing a gameboard having a checkerboard arrangement of playing areas on each end thereof and additional playing areas disposed between the end playing areas for enabling three people to simultaneously play on the gameboard.

Checkerboards and gamepieces movable thereon have been known for many years and include diagonally arranged rows of spaces with the adjacent diagonal rows being distinguishably colored such as red and black or black and white with the arrangement thus providing longitudinal and transverse rows of distinguishably colored spaces with it being necessary to move the checkers in a diagonal manner on the black spaces. While checkers are relatively popular, they are somewhat limited in use inasmuch as only two players can play simultaneously. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a checker-type game device in which two or three players may employ the gameboard and gamepieces simultaneously thus providing a game device which is highly entertaining and also involves more possible moves by your opponents thus requiring greater skill to effectively play the game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a checker game device in the form of a checkerboard having central playing areas thereon receiving the gamepieces of a third playerwith the gamepieces following prescribed rules in playing an interesting and entertaining game.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a game device which is simple in construction, entertaining and interesting and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

H0. 1 is a plan view of the gameboard of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofa crown checker employed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofa conventional checker. Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the gameboard of the present invention which is in the form ofa rectangular panel 12 having a planar upper surface. The gameboard may be folded along a transverse centerline in substantially the same manner as various types of gameboards by providing a reinforced tape which serves as a hinge connection. The planar upper surface of the gameboard 12 is provided with end playing areas 14 and 16 and a central playing area 18. Each end playing area 14 and 16 includes distinguishably colored areas 20 and 22 such as white and black square areas with adjacent white areas being arranged in diagonal rows and adjacent black areas being arranged in diagonal rows thus forming transverse and longitudinal rows ofstaggered alternate white and black'playing areas in the nature of a conventional checkerboard. As illustrated, each transverse row of areas includes four white areas and four black areas and each longitudinal row of playing areas at each end area 14 and 16 includes two white and two black playing areas. Conventional checker gamepieces 24 are provided for positioning on the black areas 22 on each of the playing areas 14 and 16 with there being provided eight checkers at each end with the checkers at one end beingone color such as black and the checkers at the other endbeing another color such as red.

The central area 18 includes two outer rows of spaces 26 and 28 and two inner rows of spaces 30 and 32, each of which includes diagonally arranged white spaces 34. In each outer row 26 and 28, transversely arranged spaces are provided with indicia 36 in every other transverse space with the indicia 36 being staggered in row 26 as compared with row 28. The central rows 30 and 32 are provided with a similar arrangement of white spaces and spaces with indicia 38 thereon with the indicia being staggered in relation to each other and also staggered in relation to the indicia 36. The indicia 36 is in the form of a circle with a check mark thereon both of which may be black in color and the indicia 38 is in the form of the head and crown depicting a king or the like which also may be delineated by black lines. The gamepieces to be placed in the central playing area 18 are generally designated by the numeral 40 and are in the form of crown checkers that is two checkers secured together with the lower checker 42 being the same color as one of the checkers 24 and the upper checker 44 being gold.

' In playing a game, assume that eight single uncrowned checkers 24 are placed on the first two rows at the left end of the gameboard with the checkers 24 being red and placed on the black areas 22 and a similar number of black checkers are placed on the two rows at the right-hand end of the board. Then, four gold crown checkers 40 having a red lowermost checker 42 and an upper gold crown checker 44 are placed in the row 30 on the areas having indicia 38 thereon and correspondingly four gold-crowned black checkers are placed in the row 32 on the spaces having the indicia 38 thereon. The game is started by a move by one of the outermost players by moving his checker in a diagonal manner along the black squares as in an ordinary game of checkers and the checkers 24 can only be moved toward the center of the board. After each end player moves, a move is made by the player employing the crowned checkers 40 oriented in the center of the board. The crowned checkers can also be moved diagonally inasmuch as the white field or spaces cannot be used for gamepieces. When a player is in a circled check square 36, he cannot jump another player even if he has a series of more than one jump. A player can get out of the circled check square 36 only by moving. However, a player can be jumped while he is in a circled check square by either of his two opponents. As soon as either player reaches a king square 38, he is crowned and can move in any direction, but even a crowned player cannot jump his opponent from the circled check square 36. The game is played by the three players untilone player is completely eliminated after which the other two continue to play until one is the winner. Each player must take a jump when available but none of the checkers can jump from a circular check square 36 but can be jumped when on a circular check square. Even ifa playerjumps one gamepiece onto a circular check square, he must stop even though additional jumps may be available to him. Thus, even though the crown checkers 40 are capable of moving in either direction, in order for them to move out of the rows having indicia 38 thereon, they must first land on a circular check area which precludes them from jumping adjacent gamepieces. Thus, the players must be quite careful in moving their checkers to avoid the possibility of becoming vulnerable to beingjumped by landing on a circular check area 36. The particular indicia and the distinguishable colors thereof may be varied as desired and various rules of play may be employed for playing various games.

Each player must take a jump when available. If he should fail to jump an opponent's checker, he will forfeit that particular checker to that opponent. However, the forfeiture is not considered ajump or a move by either player.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. A game device comprising a gameboard having a substantially planar upper surface, the upper surface of. said gameboard having a playing area adjacent each end thereof and a playing area adjacent the center thereof, the upper surface of said gameboard being divided into a plurality of transareas, two of said sets being of different colors, the third set consisting of two subsets of superimposed discs, the lower disc of each piece being of the same color as one of the other two sets.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper disc of each piece in the third set is a golden disc, thus forming a golden crown checker for movement in any diagonal direction on the gameboard. 

1. A game device comprising a gameboard having a substantially planar upper surface, the upper surface of said gameboard having a playing area adjacent each end thereof and a playing area adjacent the center thereof, the upper surface of said gameboard being divided into a plurality of transverse and longitudinal rows of square areas with alternate square areas in each transverse and longitudinal row being provided with distinguishable indicia thereon to provide diagonal paths of movement for gamepieces, the distinguishable indicia in the end playing areas being solid distinguishable coloring with the distinguishable indicia in the central playing area including a circle and check in the outermost transverse rows and a pictorially illustrated crowned head on the innermost transverse rows, and three sets of playing pieces in the form of discs to be positioned on certain of the distinguishable areas, two of said sets being of different colors, the third set consisting of two subsets of superimposed discs, the lower disc of each piece being of the same color as one of the other two sets.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper disc of each piece in the third set is a golden disc, thus forming a golden crown checker for movement in any diagonal direction on the gameboard. 